Govt aims to be self-sufficient in milk by 2016

Dharma Sri Abeyratne

Moves are underway to achieve self-sufficiency in milk by 2016, Animal Production and Health Department Director General Dr W K de Silva said.

“These arrangements are being made in line with the Mahinda Chintana, the future vision of the government to be self – sufficient in milk by 2016. Under these measures, 40 percent of the country's total annual milk requirement is produced within the country. This was only 25 percent in 2009,” he said.

Considering that each individual consumes 100 ml of milk daily, the country's annual milk requirement is between 285 to 300 million litres. Of this, 40 percent is supplied by the country while the rest is imported as powdered milk spending millions of public funds,” Dr de Silva said.

“Our production ratio is gradually and steadily increasing since it was around 25 percent in 2009,” he said.

The Livestock and Rural Community Development Ministry imported 500 cattle from Australia to achieve the set target.

Another 1,500 cattle will arrive in the country before the end of this year. Another 2,500 cattle will be imported next year,” Dr de Silva said.

These cattle will produce calves for farmers. Farmers can purchase calves from the ministry at a reasonable price. Farmers can obtain a soft loan from a government bank to purchase cattle, he said.

Meanwhile, farmers engaged in animal husbandry and dairy farming will be guided and assisted by veterinary surgeons through 330 veterinary offices.